At Upworthy, we've shared many memorable America's Got Talent auditions, from physically challenging dance routines to mind-blowing magic performances to heartbreaking singer-songwriter stories. Now we're adding Angelina Jordan's AGT: The Champions audition to the list, because wow.
Jordan joined “AGT: The Champions” in 2020 as the winner of “Norway's Got Talent,” which she won in 2014 at just seven years old with her impressive ability to seemingly channel Billie Holiday. At the 2020 audition, she sang “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, but in a version that no one had ever heard before.
Using only her Amy Winehouse-esque voice, a guitar and a piano, Jordan has transformed the fan-favorite Queen anthem into a gentle, melancholic ballad that's simply captivating to listen to.
Especially considering Jordan was only 13 when she did this.
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Angelina Jordan – Bohemian Rhapsody – America's Got Talent: The Champions One – January 6, 2020
What this video doesn't show is Heidi Klum hitting the Golden Buzzer faster than you can say, “Nothing really matters to me.” The judges were blown away by Jordan's performance, as were people in the comments.
“That’s a ONE-IN-BILLION vote. Simply amazing,” one commenter wrote.
“I'm not usually a fan of songs being reworked to such an extent,” another shared. “They almost always fall short of the original. But to completely rearrange a song by a legend the way she did it and then make you forget what the original sounded like because her interpretation is so good is absolutely amazing.”
“As Freddie once said, 'Do whatever you want with my music as long as you don't make it boring.' I think he would really like that,” another shared.
Although Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury is no longer with us, the band praised Jordan's performance and tweeted their rehearsal video with the comment: “Wow! What an interpretation of #BohemianRhapsody.”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” is such an iconic song that it’s hard for anyone to do a cover of it justice. But 13-year-old Angelina Jordan pulled it off masterfully.
Jordan made it to the top 10 on “AGT: The Champions,” and while she didn't take home the top prize, she impressed the audience with another classic rock song, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John. You can enjoy this performance below, and follow Angelina Jordan — who is now 17 and still sings her heart out — on YouTube and TikTok.